MOZAMBICAN DELEGATION TO SOUTH AFRICA UPBEAT ABOUT FORESTRY TRADE AND INVESTMENT MISSION

MOZAMBICAN DELEGATION TO SOUTH AFRICA UPBEAT ABOUT FORESTRY TRADE AND INVESTMENT MISSION

The Mozambican delegates who took part in Forestry Trade and Investment mission have expressed satisfaction with the mission. The delegation participated in the business seminar and site visits during the mission that was hosted by the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) which took place in Mpumalanga, Nelspruit.

The Director General of Madeira & Transporters Nuria, Mr Osman Jossub Mossa in Mozambique says he is content about the outcomes of the mission. He adds that the seminar and site visits afforded him with an opportunity to meet the South African potential business partners and understand the technology that is being utilised in the forestry value chain.

According to him, Mozambicans have ample land for forestry development, but are lacking the know-how and technology to process the resources. He adds that the visit to White River Sawmilling in particular opened his eyes.

“I am more fascinated with the technology that I witnessed today and I am undoubtedly going to follow up on the leads I acquired during the mission and hopefully we will see collaborations and joint ventures that will yield positive results in a form of skills transfer and improvement of technology in Mozambique,” says Mossa.

East African Forestry Products’ Andre Swanepool described the mission as a good initiative for the forestry based industry in Mozambique. He adds that the site visits in particular broadened his understanding of the technology and infrastructure that South Africans have, and believes that with proper structures and support these will benefit the building of the forestry based industry in Mozambique.

According to the Councillor Economic of South Africa to Maputo, Mr Matome Kgowedi, the level of enthusiasm and signs of commitment to making sure that the two countries work together in the forestry value chain to establish joint ventures to contribute to both economies was huge.

He adds that the research institutes and forestry associations in both countries should continue to work together and come up with projects that will boost trade and investment in both countries.

“the dti economic office at the South African High Commission in Mozambique will continue to provide support to make sure that leads and contacts acquired during the mission are followed-up in order to translate into new forestry based industry initiatives” says Kgowedi

The purpose of the mission was to explore trade and investment opportunities in the forestry value chain between Mozambique and South African businesses.